So we thought we’d briefly touch on some of the great services and options we offer here at Blueline Services to make sure you’re aware of all the awesome things we offer.

We want to make sure you’re getting the best value for your business! If you have any questions about your account or any of the services listed below, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our amazing customer services representatives at 888-919-8378 or email us at backgrounds@blueline-services.com.

Background Screening & Drug Testing:

Blueline Services is a full service screening provider—meaning we provide both background screening and drug testing services.

Both background screening and drug testing add serious benefits and protections to employers, landlords, sports/volunteer organizations, and anyone who is looking for high quality team members to help advance their business. Please reach out if you’d like to understand how these services could best benefit your specific needs.

SOME SERVICE OPTIONS YOU MAY NOT BE USING:

Social Media Checks

Finding a quality candidate is not as easy as it used to be. Social media checks have been becoming increasingly common as employers attempt to do a better job at weeding out bad hires. These checks are designed to help confirm personal qualities about a potential applicant including: dependability, integrity, and character. Our screening professionals perform FCRA-certified and legally compliant social media checks. (No “friending” or overriding privacy settings)

Education Verifications

Our education verification services can help you confirm an applicant’s resume credentials. Total Reporting conducts education verifications worldwide! We only collect information directly from the requested institutions or their authorized agents and can verify degrees, diplomas, attendance, GPAs or certificates.

Employment Verifications

Similar to education verifications, many employers verify employees’ employment histories prior to hiring or promoting them. This helps ensure that an employee is trustworthy and has the requisite experience for a position. Employment verifications can confirm dates of employment, job position, and reason for leaving a previous employer.

Instant Driving Records

Driving records or motor vehicle reports (MVRs) detail a person’s history of driving violations, suspensions, and other related information. These records can be for 3 or 5 years, depending on the state.

Baseline National Search

Our Baseline National Search is dynamic, virtually instant, and powerful. This search is a standard for all of our screening packages because it is an extremely effective tool for discovering jurisdictions and other areas where criminal offenses may have occurred outside of an applicant’s indicated address history. It draws on national and international sources, including: the Department of Corrections, International Most Wanted, federal sex offender registries, terrorist watch lists and numerous others.

Credit Report

A credit report can pull a full credit history (credit score is only available for tenant searches). Our credit information reflects what is kept on file by TransUnion. The use of credit report information for employment purposes is restricted in some states. Contact us if you have questions regarding your specific state’s laws.

County Criminal Record Search

A county criminal records search finds criminal records within a specific county’s court records. This search can provide felony, misdemeanor, or infraction information. These searches are often recommended after a Baseline National Search has found potential records for an applicant within a specific county. County criminal records are searched by name and the results are then verified with other identifiers, such as date of birth, social security number, or driver’s license number. Reports usually include the jurisdiction searched, the individual’s personal identifiers as they appear in the case file, the file date, charges, disposition, disposition dates, and sentencing information.

Federal Criminal Records Search

Federal criminal record searches report information from federal district courts and only contain specific high-level white-collar crimes or crimes that cross state lines. This search only covers crimes that are prosecuted at a federal level, which include infractions such as tax evasion, bank robbery, kidnapping, and counterfeiting.

DRUG TESTING OPTIONS:

Random Drug Testing

We offer complete random program management tailored to your needs for both DOT and non-DOT clients including random selection and testing. Random drug testing is one of the most effective ways to encourage a safe work environment, prevent accidents, and deter employee drug-use.

POCT (Point of Care or Instant Testing):

We offer a variety of POCT or instant drug tests that can be performed right on-site. Results are delivered in minutes and there is no time lost going to a collection site.

Drug Testing Online – Use Our Electronic Chain of Custody (paperless!)

We offer completely paperless options for drug testing! You can use our electronic Chain of Custody for non-DOT tests.

For any questions regarding our different drug testing options or to add additional services to your account, you can contact our drug testing customer service representatives at 888-919-8378 or email them at mail@blueline-services.com.

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Essentially, personal or professional reference verification, and employment verification that stray beyond the realm of facts and into personal character assessments and opinions are considered Investigative Consumer Reports. They can be independent background checks, or they could be a part of a regular consumer report.

In California all consumer reports are considered ICRs, and California law (the California Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act ICRAA) must be followed in addition to federal law.

What are the compliance requirements for running an investigative consumer report?

An Investigative Consumer Report  requires a separate disclosure as to the nature and scope of the report as well as separate authorization. Technically, when an ICR is part of a regular consumer report, the disclosure with an explanation of the nature and scope of the investigative portion, must be obtained separately from the disclosure for the consumer report. There must also be a notice with the disclosure that a full and detailed disclosure of the nature and scope of the investigation can be obtained upon request.

Authorizations can be combined, but with the separate disclosure requirement it is easier to utilize a disclosure and authorization form for the consumer report and a separate one for the ICR. That way, if the ICR is obtained alone, you already have the required disclosure and authorization ready to go.

If obtaining potentially adverse information from interviews with neighbors, friends, or associates, the CRA performing the ICR must verify that the information provided has been verified, or that the person providing the information is the “best possible source of the information.” FCRA §606(d)(4)(B)

Additionally, §614 stipulates that any adverse information obtained through ICR personal interviews must be obtained within a 3 month period of the report being provided to the party requesting such background check, typically an employer.

Why would companies want to run these checks on potential employees?

Investigative Consumer Reports are commonly opinions of those with a personal relationship or a person who has immediate knowledge of the applicant. This information goes beyond a typical consumer report for a picture of your applicant in a more personal light that information obtained from a consumer report does not. For example, information obtained in a typical consumer report may include credit information, criminal history, factual past employment information, or driving records.

An ICR would ask about a person’s job performance, if it is a professional reference and the best source of the information, or how a person gets along with others in a work setting. This information cannot be gleaned from a consumer report, and if done correctly can give a potential employer more insight into an applicant’s character, work habits, and personal characteristics.

Are there risks associated with running an investigative consumer report?

There are risks involved in running any consumer report. As Investigative Consumer Reports require additional authorization and disclosure, compliance can be tricky when the employer doesn’t understand or want the hassle of following the additional requirements and simple mistakes can occur. Both negligent and willful violations of FCRA compliance can result in a substantial fine for each instance, if a lawsuit is brought against the employer or against the CRA providing the information to the employer.

How are the people chosen for the personal interviews?

Employment verification relies on information from records obtained, as often as possible, directly from the human resources department, payroll, or the owner/operator of the company. From there, if non-factual information is being requested (such as the opinion of the employer about the applicant) it is obtained from the owner/operator or a supervisor who would have direct knowledge of the applicant’s work experience.

Professional or personal references conducted by Blueline Services are conducted with the people provided by the applicant as references. Upon request some references are found by asking the provided reference if they know anybody who would be able to answer the same questions about the applicant (references from references).

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